Wisdom of Silver Eagle

Gulf of Oman

2011-12-29T11:57:00.000-08:00

school or prison?

2011-12-13T12:21:00.000-08:00

Straits of Hormuz

2011-12-13T12:11:00.001-08:00

Closer view: Jordanian-Syrian Front

2011-12-13T11:29:00.000-08:00

Jordanian-Syrian Front

2011-12-12T13:55:00.000-08:00

Police employ Predator drone spy planes on home front

2011-12-12T11:47:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately even the author of the story or the newspaper's editor can't even get the f'ing facts straight ..... it was the Nelson County Sheriff and not Police Department that requested the use of the US Customs & Border Patrol UAV Predator-B.

ORNISS from ground level

2011-12-12T11:34:00.001-08:00

National Registry Office for Classified Information

2011-12-12T11:28:00.000-08:00

In the historic city of Bucharest, the CIA tortured and interrogated high-risk terrorists for years in a basement prison, under the nose of roughly two million Romanians.
An investigation carried out by reporters for the Associated Press led to the news organization revealing on Thursday that in the years after the September 11 terror attacks, the Central Intelligence Agency operated an underground holding center for some of the most sought after alleged terrorists. There in a small six-cell jail, prisoners such as al-Qaeda operative Khalid Sheikh Mohammed were beaten and detained, all unbeknownst to the citizens of Romania or American authorities outside of the CIA.
This revelation from the AP comes after officials have adamantly denied any such institution in the past.
"No, no. Impossible, impossible," Adrian Camarasan of the National Registry Office for Classified Information told Germany’s ARD television in an earlier interview. While Camarasan dismissed claims of a top-secret jail, former intelligence officials speaking under condition of anonymity now tell the AP that the prison did in fact exist, and did so right in the basement of the National Registry’s headquarters.
The National Registry Office for Classified Information, also known as ORNISS, has operated in the Bucharest building for years. In its annals are classified files pertaining to NATO and European Union intelligence. A known government installation, townspeople avoided the structure and thus the CIA had the perfect cover to open the prison. The first detainees came arrived in 2006, and despite being mere blocks from a major roadway and active train tracks, the top-secret cells beneath the first floor of the ORNISS building went perfectly undetected — until now.

http://rt.com/usa/news/prison-revealed-cia-bucharest-371/

Alleged FEMA Camps

2011-12-09T18:18:00.000-08:00

ALABAMA Opelika - WWII German/Italian camp - may be renovated. Aliceville - WWII German POW camp - capacity 15,000 Ft. McClellan (Anniston) - Opposite side of town from Army Depot; Maxwell AFB (Montgomery) - Civilian prison camp established under Operation Garden Plot, currently operating with support staff and small inmate population. Talladega - Federal prison "satellite" camp.
ALASKA Wilderness - East of Anchorage. No roads, Air & Railroad access only. Estimated capacity of 500,000 Elmendorf AFB - Northeast area of Anchorage - far end of base. Garden Plot facility. Eielson AFB - Southeast of Fairbanks. Operation Garden Plot facility. Ft. Wainwright - East of Fairbanks

ARIZONA Ft. Huachuca - 20 miles from Mexican border, 30 miles from Nogales. Rex '84 facility. Pinal County - on the Gila River - WWII Japanese detention camp. May be renovated. Yuma County - Colorado River - Site of former Japanese detention camp (near proving grounds). This site was completely removed in 1990 according to some reports. Phoenix - Federal Prison Satellite Camp. Main federal facility expanded. Florence - WWII prison camp NOW RENOVATED, OPERATIONAL with staff & 400 prisoners, operational capacity of 3,500. Wickenburg - Airport is ready for conversion; total capacity unknown. Davis-Monthan AFB (Tucson) - Fully staffed and presently holding prisoners!! Sedona - site of possible UN base.

ARKANSAS Ft. Chaffee (near Fort Smith, Arkansas) - Has new runway for aircraft, new camp facility with cap of 40,000 prisoners Pine Bluff Arsenal - This location also is the repository for B-Z nerve agent, which causes sleepiness, dizziness, stupor; admitted use is for civilian control. Jerome - Chicot/Drew Counties - WWII Japanese camps Rohwer - Descha County - WWII Japanese camps Blythville AFB - Closed airbase now being used as camp. New wooden barracks have been constructed at this location. Classic decorations - guard towers, barbed wire, high fences. Berryville - FEMA facility located east of Eureka Springs off Hwy. 62. Omaha - Northeast of Berryville near Missouri state line, on Hwy 65 south of old wood processing plant. Located on or near toxic waste dump. FEMA facility.

CALIFORNIA Vandenburg AFB - Rex 84 facility, located near Lompoc & Santa Maria. Internment facility is located near the oceanside, close to Space Launch Complex #6, also called "Slick Six". The launch site has a flawless failure record and is rarely used. Norton AFB - (closed base) now staffed with UN according to some sources. Tule Lake - area of "wildlife refuge", accessible by unpaved road, just inside Modoc County. Fort Ord - Closed in 1994, this facility is now an urban warfare training center for US and foreign troops, and may have some "P.O.W. - C.I." enclosures. Twentynine Palms Marine Base - Birthplace of the infamous "Would you shoot American citizens?" Quiz. New camps being built on "back 40". Oakdale - Rex 84 camp capable of holding at least 20,000 people. 90 mi. East of San Francisco. Terminal Island - (Long Beach) located next to naval shipyards operated by ChiCom shipping interests. Federal prison facility located here. Possible deportation point. Ft. Irwin - FEMA facility near Barstow. Base is designated inactive but has staffed camp. Manzanar - Inyo County WWII Japanese detention camp. Ready for possible renovation. McClellan AFB - facility equipped for 30,000 - 35,000 Sacramento - Army Depot - No specific information at this time. Mather AFB - Road to facility is blocked off by cement barriers and a stop sign. Sign states area is restricted; as of 1997 there were barbed wire fences pointing inward, a row of stadium lights pointed toward an empty field, etc. Black boxes on poles may have been cameras.

COLORADO Trinidad - WWII German/Italian camp being renovated. Granada - Prowers County - WWII Japanese internment camp Ft. Carson - Along route 115 near Canon City

CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE No data available.

FLORIDA Avon Park - Air Force gunnery range, Avon Park has an on-base "correctional facility" which was a former WWII detention camp. Camp Krome - DoJ detention/interrogation center, Rex 84 facility Eglin AFB - This base is over 30 miles long, from Pensacola to Hwy 331 in De Funiak Springs. High capacity facility, presently manned and populated with some prisoners. Pensacola - Federal Prison Camp Everglades - It is believed that a facility may be carved out of the wilds here.

GEORGIA Ft. Benning - Located east of Columbus near Alabama state line. Rex 84 site - Prisoners brought in via Lawson Army airfield. Ft. Mc Pherson - US Force Command - Multiple reports that this will be the national headquarters and coordinating center for foreign/UN troop movement and detainee collection. Ft. Gordon - West of Augusta - No information at this time. Unadilla - Dooly County - Manned, staffed FEMA prison on route 230, no prisoners. Oglethorpe - Macon County; facility is located five miles from Montezuma, three miles from Oglethorpe. This FEMA prison has no staff and no prisoners. Morgan - Calhoun County, FEMA facility is fully manned & staffed - no prisoners. Camilla - Mitchell County, south of Albany. This FEMA facility is located on Mt. Zion Rd approximately 5.7 miles south of Camilla. Unmanned - no prisoners, no staff. Hawkinsville - Wilcox County; Five miles east of town, fully manned and staffed but no prisoners. Located on fire road 100/Upper River Road Abbeville - South of Hawkinsville on US route 129; south of town off route 280 near Ocmulgee River. FEMA facility is staffed but without prisoners. McRae - Telfair County - 1.5 miles west of McRae on Hwy 134 (8th St). Facility is on Irwinton Avenue off 8th St., manned & staffed - no prisoners. Fort Gillem - South side of Atlanta - FEMA designated detention facility. Fort Stewart - Savannah area - FEMA designated detention facility

HAWAII Unknown - There are several military installations on Honolulu that could be equipped for detention / deportation. More data is needed.

IDAHO Minidoka/Jerome Counties - WWII Japanese-American internment facility possibly under renovation. Clearwater National Forest - Near Lolo Pass - Just miles from the Montana state line near Moose Creek, this unmanned facility is reported to have a nearby airfield. Wilderness areas - Possible location. No data.

ILLINOIS Marseilles - Located on the Illinois River off Interstate 80 on Hwy 6. It is a relatively small facility with a cap of 1400 prisoners. Though it is small it is designed like other concentration camp facilities high fences topped with barbed wire and guard towers. Being located on the Illinois River it is possible that prisoners will be brought in by water as well as by road and air. This facility is approximately 75 miles west of Chicago. National Guard training area nearby. Pekin - This Federal satellite prison camp is also on the Illinois River, just south of Peoria. It supplements the federal penitentiary in Marion, which is equipped to handle additional population outside on the grounds. Chanute AFB - Rantoul, near Champaign/Urbana - This closed base had WWII - era barracks that were condemned and torn down, but the medical facility was upgraded and additional fencing put up in the area. This base was closed on the recommendation of former Soviet premier Mikhail Gorbachev, but not sold, which makes this location a likely camp. Air Force personnel still maintain and occasionally use the airstrip, which is capable of handling large cargo planes like C-130's. Marion - Federal Penitentiary and satellite prison camp inside Crab Orchard Nat'l Wildlife Refuge. Manned, staffed, populated fully. Greenfield - Two federal correctional "satellite prison camps" serving Marion - populated as above. Shawnee National Forest - Pope County - This area has seen heavy traffic of foreign military equipment and troops via Illinois Central Railroad, which runs through the area. Suspected location is unknown, but may be close to Vienna and Shawnee correctional centers, located 6 mi. west of Dixon Springs. Savanna Army Depot - NW area of state on Mississippi River. Lincoln, Sheridan, Menard, Pontiac, Galesburg - State prison facilities equipped for major expansion and close or adjacent to highways & railroad tracks. Kankakee - west side of town - abandoned industrial area designated as FEMA detention facility.

INDIANA Indianapolis / Marion County - Amtrak railcar repair facility (closed); controversial site of a major alleged detention / processing center. Although some sources state that this site is a "red herring", photographic and video evidence suggests otherwise. This large facility contains large 3-4 inch gas mains to large furnaces (crematoria??), helicopter landing pads, railheads for prisoners, Red/Blue/Green zones for classifying/processing incoming personnel, one-way turnstiles, barracks, towers, high fences with razor wire, etc. Personnel with government clearance who are friendly to the patriot movement took a guided tour of the facility to confirm this site. This site is located next to a closed refrigeration plant facility. Ft. Benjamin Harrison - Located in the northeast part of Indianapolis, this facility has had numerous personnel reductions. Portions of the facility are ideally converted to hold detainees. Helicopter facilities exist on-base for prisoners to be brought in by air, land & rail. Crown Point - Across street from county jail, former hospital. One wing presently being used for county work-release program, 80% of facility still unused. Possible FEMA detention center or holding facility. Camp Atterbury - Closed facility is being converted to hold prisoners of the New World Order. Located just west of Interstate 65 near Edinburg, south of Indianapolis. Terre Haute - Federal Correctional Institution, Satellite prison camp and death facility. Equipped with crematoria reported to have a capacity of 3,000 people a day. FEMA detention facility located here. Fort Wayne - This city located in Northeast Indiana has a FEMA detention facility, accessible by air, road and nearby rail. Kingsbury - This "closed" military base is adjacent to a state fish & wildlife preserve. Part of the base is converted to an industrial park, but the southern portion of this property is still used by the military. It is bordered on the south by railroad, and is staffed with some foreign-speaking UN troops. A local police officer who was hunting and camping close to the base in the game preserve was accosted, roughed up, and warned by the English-speaking unit commander to stay away from the area. It was suggested to the officer that the welfare of his family would depend on his "silence". Located just southeast of LaPorte. Jasper-Pulaski Wildlife Area - Youth Corrections farm located here. Facility is "closed", but is still staffed and being "renovated". Total capacity unknown. Grissom AFB - This closed airbase still handles a lot of traffic, and has a "state-owned" prison compound on the southern part of the facility. UNICOR. Jefferson Proving Grounds - Southern Indiana - This facility is an active base with test firing occuring daily. Portions of the base have been opened to create an industrial park, but other areas are still highly restricted. A camp is believed to be located "downrange". Facility is equipped with an airfield and has a nearby rail line. Newport - Army Depot - VX nerve gas storage facility. Secret meetings were held here in 1998 regarding the addition of the Kankakee River watershed to the Heritage Rivers Initiative.

IOWA No data available.

KANSAS Leavenworth - US Marshal's Fed Holding Facility, US Penitentiary, Federal Prison Camp, McConnell Air Force Base. Federal death penalty facility. Concordia - WWII German POW camp used to exist at this location but there is no facility there at this time. Ft. Riley - Just north of Interstate 70, airport, near city of Manhattan. El Dorado - Federal prison converted into forced-labor camp, UNICOR industries. Topeka - 80 acres has been converted into a temporary holding camp.

KENTUCKY Ashland - Federal prison camp in Eastern Kentucky near the Ohio River. Louisville - FEMA detention facility, located near restricted area US naval ordnance plant. Military airfield located at facility, which is on south side of city. Lexington - FEMA detention facility, National Guard base with adjacent airport facility. Manchester - Federal prison camp located inside Dan Boone National Forest. Ft. Knox - Detention center, possibly located near Salt River, in restricted area of base. Local patriots advise that black Special Forces & UN gray helicopters are occasionally seen in area. Land Between the Lakes - This area was declared a UN biosphere and is an ideal geographic location for detention facilities. Area is an isthmus extending out from Tennessee, between Lake Barkley on the east and Kentucky Lake on the west. Just scant miles from Fort Campbell in Tennessee.

LOUISIANA Ft. Polk - This is a main base for UN troops & personnel, and a training center for the disarmament of America. Livingston - WWII German/Italian internment camp being renovated?; halfway between Baton Rouge and Hammond, several miles north of Interstate 12. Oakdale - Located on US route 165 about 50 miles south of Alexandria; two federal detention centers just southeast of Fort Polk.

MAINE Houlton - WWII German internment camp in Northern Maine, off US Route 1.

MARYLAND, and DC Ft. Meade - Halfway between the District of Criminals and Baltimore. Data needed. Ft. Detrick - Biological warfare center for the NWO, located in Frederick.

MASSACHUSETTS Camp Edwards / Otis AFB - Cape Cod - This "inactive" base is being converted to hold many New Englander patriots. Capacity unknown.

MICHIGAN Camp Grayling - Michigan Nat'l Guard base has several confirmed detention camps, classic setup with high fences, razor wire, etc. Guard towers are very well-built, sturdy. Multiple compounds within larger enclosures. Facility deep within forest area. Sawyer AFB - Upper Peninsula - south of Marquette - No data available. Bay City - Classic enclosure with guard towers, high fence, and close to shipping port on Saginaw Bay, which connects to Lake Huron. Could be a deportation point to overseas via St. Lawrence Seaway. Southwest - possibly Berrien County - FEMA detention center. Lansing - FEMA detention facility.

MINNESOTA Duluth - Federal prison camp facility.

MISSISSIPPI These sites are confirmed hoaxes. Hancock County - NASA test site De Soto National Forest. "These two supposed camps in Mississippi do not exist. Members of the Mississippi Militia have checked these out on more than one occasion beginning back when they first appeared on the Internet and throughout the Patriot Movement." - Commander D. Rayner, Mississippi Militia

MISSOURI Richards-Gebaur AFB - located in Grandview, near K.C.MO. A very large internment facility has been built on this base, and all base personnel are restricted from coming near it. Ft. Leonard Wood - Situated in the middle of Mark Twain National Forest in Pulaski County. This site has been known for some UN training, also home to the US Army Urban Warfare Training school "Stem Village". Warsaw - Unconfirmed report of a large concentration camp facility.

MONTANA Malmstrom AFB - UN combat groups stationed here, and possibly a detention facility.

NEBRASKA Scottsbluff - WWII German POW camp (renovated?). Northwest, Northeast corners of state - FEMA detention facilities - more data needed. South Central part of state - Many old WWII sites - some may be renovated.

NEVADA Elko - Ten miles south of town. Wells - Camp is located in the O'Niel basin area, 40 miles north of Wells, past Thousand Springs, west off Hwy 93 for 25 miles. Pershing County - Camp is located at I-80 mile marker 112, south side of the highway, about a mile back on the county road and then just off the road about 3/4mi. Winnemucca - Battle Mountain area - at the base of the mountains. Nellis Air Force Range - Northwest from Las Vegas on Route 95. Nellis AFB is just north of Las Vegas on Hwy 604. Stillwater Naval Air Station - east of Reno . No additional data.

NEW HAMPSHIRE / VERMONT Northern Vermont - near Lake Francis - (Renovated?) WWII detention camp.

NEW JERSEY Ft. Dix / McGuire AFB - Possible deportation point for detainees. Lots of pictures taken of detention compounds and posted on Internet, this camp is well-known. Facility is now complete and ready for occupancy.

NEW MEXICO Ft. Bliss - This base actually straddles Texas state line. Just south of Alomogordo, Ft. Bliss has thousands of acres for people who refuse to go with the "New Order". Holloman AFB (Alomogordo)- Home of the German Luftwaffe in Amerika; major UN base. New facility being built on this base, according to recent visitors. Many former USAF buildings have been torn down by the busy and rapidly growing German military force located here. Fort Stanton - currently being used as a youth detention facility approximately 35 miles north of Ruidoso, New Mexico. Not a great deal of information concerning the Lordsburg location. White Sands Missile Range - Currently being used as a storage facility for United Nations vehicles and equipment. Observers have seen this material brought in on the Whitesands rail spur in Oro Grande New Mexico about thirty miles from the Texas, New Mexico Border.

NEW YORK Ft. Drum - two compounds: Rex 84 detention camp and FEMA detention facility. Albany - FEMA detention facility. Otisville - Federal correctional facility, near Middletown. Buffalo - FEMA detention facility.

NORTH CAROLINA Camp Lejeune / New River Marine Airfield - facility has renovated, occupied WWII detention compounds and "mock city" that closely resembles Anytown, USA. Fort Bragg - Special Warfare Training Center. Renovated WWII detention facility. Andrews - Federal experiment in putting a small town under siege. Began with the search/ hunt for survivalist Eric Rudolph. No persons are allowed in or out of town without federal permission. Travel through town is highly restricted. Most residents are compelled to stay in their homes. Unregistered Baptist pastor from Indiana visiting Andrews affirmed these facts.

NORTH DAKOTA Minot AFB - Home of UN air group. More data needed on facility.

OHIO Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus - FEMA detention facilities. Additional data needed. Lima - FEMA detention facility. Another facility located in/near old stone quarry near Interstate 75. Railroad access to property, fences etc.

OKLAHOMA Tinker AFB (OKC) - All base personnel are prohibited from going near civilian detention area, which is under constant guard. Will Rogers World Airport - FEMA's main processing center for west of the Mississippi. All personnel are kept out of the security zone. Federal prisoner transfer center located here (A pentagon-shaped building where airplanes can taxi up to). Photos have been taken and this site will try to post soon! El Reno - Renovated federal internment facility with CURRENT population of 12,000 on Route 66. McAlester - near Army Munitions Plant property - former WWII German / Italian POW camp designated for future use. Ft. Sill (Lawton) - Former WWII detention camps. More data still needed.
OREGON Sheridan - Federal prison satellite camp northwest of Salem. Josephine County - WWII Japanese internment camp ready for renovation. Sheridan - FEMA detention center. Umatilla - New prison spotted.

PENNSYLVANIA Allenwood - Federal prison camp located south of Williamsport on the Susquehanna River. It has a current inmate population of 300, and is identified by William Pabst as having a capacity in excess of 15,000 on 400 acres. Indiantown Gap Military Reservation - located north of Harrisburg. Used for WWII POW camp and renovated by Jimmy Carter. Was used to hold Cubans during Mariel boat lift. Camp Hill - State prison close to Army depot. Lots of room, located in Camp Hill, Pa. New Cumberland Army Depot - on the Susquehanna River, located off Interstate 83 and Interstate 76. Schuylkill Haven - Federal prison camp, north of Reading.

SOUTH CAROLINA Greenville - Unoccupied youth prison camp; total capacity unknown. Charleston - Naval Reserve & Air Force base, restricted area on naval base.

SOUTH DAKOTA Yankton - Federal prison camp Black Hills Nat'l Forest - north of Edgemont, southwest part of state. WWII internment camp being renovated.

TENNESSEE Ft. Campbell - Next to Land Between the Lakes; adjacent to airfield and US Alt. 41. Millington - Federal prison camp next door to Memphis Naval Air Station. Crossville - WWII German / Italian prison camp may be renovated. Nashville - There are two buildings built on State property that are definitely built to hold prisoners. They are identical buildings - side by side. High barbed wire fence that curves inward. Click here for photo.

TEXAS Austin - Municipal airport has a restricted-access area off limits to everyone. Ft. Hood (Killeen) - Newly built concentration camp, with towers, barbed wire etc., just like the one featured in the movie Amerika. Mock city for NWO shock- force training. Some footage of this area was used in "Waco: A New Revelation" Reese AFB (Lubbock) - FEMA designated detention facility. Sheppard AFB - in Wichita Falls just south of Ft. Sill, OK. FEMA designated detention facility. North Dallas - near Carrolton - water treatment plant, close to interstate and railroad. Mexia - East of Waco 33mi.; WWII German facility may be renovated. Amarillo - FEMA designated detention facility Ft. Bliss (El Paso) - Extensive renovation of buildings and from what patriots have been able to see, many of these buildings that are being renovated are being surrounded by razor wire. Beaumont / Port Arthur area - hundreds of acres of federal camps already built on large-scale detention camp design, complete with the double rows of chain link fencing with razor type concertina wire on top of each row. Some (but not all) of these facilities are currently being used for low-risk state prisoners who require a minimum of supervision. Ft. Worth - Federal prison under construction on the site of Carswell AFB.

UTAH Millard County - Central Utah - WWII Japanese camp. (Renovated?) Ft. Douglas - This "inactive" military reservation has a renovated WWII concentration camp. Migratory Bird Refuge - West of Brigham City - contains a WWII internment camp that was built before the game preserve was established. Cedar City - east of city - no data available. Wendover - WWII internment camp may be renovated. Skull Valley - southwestern Camp William property - east of the old bombing range. Camp was accidentally discovered by a man and his son who were rabbit hunting; they were discovered and apprehended. SW of Tooele.

VIRGINIA Ft. A.P. Hill (Fredericksburg) - Rex 84 / FEMA facility. Estimated capacity 45,000. Petersburg - Federal satellite prison camp, south of Richmond.

WEST VIRGINIA Beckley - Alderson - Lewisburg - Former WWII detention camps that are now converted into active federal prison complexes capable of holding several times their current populations. Alderson is presently a women's federal reformatory. Morgantown - Federal prison camp located in northern WV; just north of Kingwood. Mill Creek - FEMA detention facility. Kingwood - Newly built concentration camp just outside Camp Dawson Army Reservation. More data needed on Camp Dawson.

WASHINGTON Seattle/Tacoma - SeaTac Airport: fully operational federal transfer center Okanogan County - Borders Canada and is a site for a massive concentration camp capable of holding hundreds of thousands of people for slave labor. This is probably one of the locations that will be used to hold hard core patriots who will be held captive for the rest of their lives. Sand Point Naval Station - Seattle - Federal prison detention camp, used actively during the 1999 WTO protests to classify prisoners. Ft. Lewis / McChord AFB - near Tacoma - This is one of several sites that may be used to ship prisoners overseas for slave labor.

WISCONSIN Ft. McCoy - Rex 84 facility with several complete interment compounds. Oxford - Central part of state - Federal prison & staellite camp and FEMA detention facility.

WYOMING Heart Mountain - Park County N. of Cody - WWII Japanese interment camp ready for renovation. Laramie - FEMA detention facility Southwest - near Lyman - FEMA detention facility East Yellowstone - Manned internment facility - Investigating patriots were apprehended by European soldiers speaking in an unknown language. Federal government assumed custody of the persons and arranged their release.

North Dakota Freeze Warning

2011-12-08T11:55:00.000-08:00

2011-12-06T06:44:00.000-08:00

Occupy America & Garden Plot Cities - West

2011-10-03T08:02:00.000-07:00

Occupy America & Garden Plot Cities - Central

2011-10-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Occupy American & Garden Plot City Priorities - East

2011-10-03T07:58:00.000-07:00

Occupy America .... Location Map

2011-10-03T07:54:00.000-07:00

Canary Islands

2011-09-28T06:54:00.000-07:00

Where'd it splash or impact?

2011-09-24T07:31:00.001-07:00

URAS

2011-09-23T19:45:00.001-07:00

Operation Driftnet

2011-09-22T08:50:00.000-07:00

To scan the more than four million square kilometre expanse of the North Pacific, thought to be the location of most illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, Canada's Air Force relies on its CP-140 Aurora maritime patrol aircraft. Capable of flying for 14 hours and travelling more than 9,000 kilometres before refuelling, the Aurora is one of the few aircraft in the world capable of effectively searching such a vast expanse.

In addition to her highly trained military crew of 14, the Aurora embarks both DFO fishery officers as well as their U.S. counterparts in the National Marine Fisheries Service for these IUU patrols. Together, the aircraft and her crew deploy to Alaska to patrol the North Pacific, and identify and record evidence of IUU fishing.

When vessels suspected of illegal fishing activities are discovered, they are reported to the United States Coast Guard or other cooperating agencies such as the Russian Federal Border Service, the Japanese Fisheries Agency or the Fisheries Agency of South Korea.

Since 1993, coordination of multi-departmental, multinational efforts has enabled the identification of 59 vessels suspected of IUU fishing. This has led to 19 boardings and the seizure of many tonnes of IUU catch. Eleven of the boardings have been conducted by the United States Coast Guard; six by Russia's Federal Border Service; and one by Japan's Maritime Safety Agency. The owners of one of the boarded vessels were fined; the remainder were turned over to their respective governments.

In 2005, air patrols spotted and reported five vessels suspected of activities ranging from vessel identity theft to undocumented at-sea transfers. One vessel was subsequently boarded and her case was turned over to the appropriate government for prosecution. In May 2006, two vessels rigged with gear for high seas driftnet fishing were spotted, however no illegal fishing was observed.

The relatively low number of suspect vessels found is encouraging news. Although other factors such as market conditions, migration patterns and sea temperature help reduce the level of IUU fishing, continued enforcement is seen as the most compelling reason for the 90 per cent reduction in IUU fishing in the North Pacific since its peak in 1998.

The effectiveness of this multinational enforcement approach makes it a model for other operations to protect natural resources elsewhere in the world.

2011-09-19T06:12:00.001-07:00

Sunrise

2011-09-19T06:05:00.000-07:00

I know there have been many comments about the fact the sun seems out of place. Well just to check things out personally here's this morning's sunrise photo through my day/night yard camera pointing magnetic east, which here is only one degree off from true east. As you can see the sun rose just slightly to the right of east, which is slightly north of east.

Coming Events? September 27, 2011

2011-09-18T07:05:00.000-07:00

According to one "relatively-unreliable" source, on Tuesday, September 27, 2011, the United States Military will conduct a "Cocked Pistol" Exercise. This was published in the on-line version of the European Times Newspaper on September 14, 2011. Which states in part that "A disturbing report prepared by General Alexey Maslov, the Senior Military Representative of the Permanent Mission of Russia to NATO, states that he has been notified by the Americans of their plan to hold a DEFCON 1 “Cocked Pistol” maximum readiness alert drill on 27 September which will be overseen by President Obama at one the United States most secure bunkers located beneath the Denver International Airport."

What is a Cocked Pistol Exercise?

Cocked Pistol is the "exercise" code-word for United States Defense Condition One, or DEFCON 1. It's meaning is that Nuclear War is imminent and initiates a state of "Maximum Readiness" throughout the United States Military. From Wikipedia.com, The DEFCON level is controlled primarily by the President and the Secretary of Defense, through the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Combatant Commanders, and each DEFCON level defines specific security, activation and response scenarios for the troops in question. Different branches of the U.S. armed forces (like the Army, Navy, Air Force) and different bases or command groups can be activated at different defense conditions.

Presently, at the time of this writing the United States Military is at DEFCON 5, meaning a "normal" state of readiness. Even after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks the United States only acheived DEFCON 3, or "Medium Readiness". The highest confirmed DEFCON ever was Level 2. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, the US Strategic Air Command was placed on DEFCON 2 for the first time in history, while the rest of US military commands (with the exception of the US Air Forces in Europe) went on DEFCON 3. On 22 October 1962 SAC responded by establishing Defense Condition Three (DEFCON III), and ordered B-52s on airborne alert. Tension grew and the next day SAC declared DEFCON II, a heightened state of alert, ready to strike targets within the Soviet Union. Source document

Now the EUTimes.net article states, Under the SALT I Strategic Nuclear Arms Control Agreement signed between Russia and the US, both parties are required to notify the other in all cases of such maximum readiness drills occurring, but are not required to state their reasons for doing so. Again, restating that from previous history such articles from the EUTimes.net are often unreliable, lets assume (making an ass u me, or making an ass out of you and me) the report is correct?

Wikipedia uses a document from the Savannah District, of the US Army Corps of Engineers as a reference for explaining DEFCONs and procedures. That document can be found here. On page 5 of 13 of the pdf document you can read, 6. Security/Classification. It is imperative that all personnel understand the importance of effective security control measures associated with increasing the readiness of U.S. forces under actual or exercise conditions. All persons listed in the Notification Flow Chart (Appendix A) and others who will have access to messages must possess SECRET or higher security clearances. UNCLASSIFIED messages pertaining to prepositioned instructions concerning the JCS Alert System can no longer be used. At the bottom of page 5 continuing onto page 6 is the association of the security classification regarded as SECRET, which states, Any reference to the fact that an actual or exercise change in readiness is being considered, is
taking place, or has been accomplished.

Paragraph 7, on page 6 continuing onto page 7 indicates the Notification Procedures for said exercises or drills. Note the text, "It is the policy of HQDA to notify Commanders and Reservists concerned in a mobilization prior to the public release of this information. In view of the rapidity of communication of the news media (directly from the seat of Government to the private citizen within minutes of the release), it may be patently impossible to achieve this objective. However, the F-Hour Alert Procedures were developed to allow 18 hours for alerting commanders and reservists before release to the media."

Personal Comment

So here we have an alleged "Cocked Pistol" Exercise, apparently made public knowlege by a Russian General Officer attached to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in a European Internet Newspaper almost two weeks (13 days) ahead of its scheduled time. Dependent upon the actual "H-hour" the eighteen-hour notification to the media could occur as early as 6:00 AM (Eastern) on Monday, September 26th.

From previous experience as a military and then civillian air traffic controller, when the "Alert Klaxon" goes off at a Global Strike Command (formerly known as Strategic Air Command) airbase, the bombers and associated tankers have just a couple minutes to become airborne (especially when doing a "graded" Operational Readiness Inspection). During my tenure with ATC in the Sacramento, California area both in the control towers of McClellan AFB (now closed), Sacramento International and Sacramento Executive Airports, as well as at the Sacramento Terminal Radar Approach Control, now consolidated into the Northern California Terminal Radar Approach Control, I have experienced when the former Mather AFB launched it's "alert" strike force. Five B-52H bombers and five KC-135 tankers all taking off with about 30-seconds between aircraft, turning off Mather AFB right over downtown Sacramento and heading out over the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mendocino to the "Fail-Safe" points.

At that time (1986) was the last one I experienced from Mather AFB, all departures were "ground-stopped" in the entire Sacramento airspace complex. Also during that time-period, we also had more than just a few bomber bases. At one time there were B-52's based at Fairchild AFB, Malmstrom AFB, Glasgow AFB, Grand Forks AFB, KI Sawyer AFB, Kincheloe AFB, Plattsburg AFB, and Loring AFB. Now our bomber fleet is limited to B-52's at Minot AFB and Barksdale AFB, B-2's at Whiteman AFB, and B-1B's in a non-nuclear strike role at Ellsworth AFB and Dyess AFB. Presently we also have nuclear capable B-52's and B-2's periodically deployed to Andersen AFB, Guam and Diego Garcia, Indian Ocean.

Now considering that United States Nuclear Forces are not just made-up of Air Force Bombers, they also include the Minuteman-III Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles in the fields of North Dakota, Montana. Colorado, Nebraska and Wyoming; and the also include the US Navy's Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarines based at Bangor Naval Station in Washington and King Bay Naval Station, Georgia. Also supporting the Air Force's Bombers will be Air Force KC-10 Extenders and KC-135 Stratotankers which with the dissolving of the Strategic Air Command, became a part of the Air Mobility Command, not to mention aerial refueling assets of the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard.

So what do we have?

Aside from "active-duty forces" in order to conduct a full-scale "exercise" it will be necessary to "activate" the reserve units, as well as the activation and federalizing of the various Air National Guard and National Guard units under control of the various State Governors.

The B-52-G and -H models were used for nuclear standby ("alert") duty as part of the United States' nuclear triad. This triad was the combination of nuclear-armed land-based missiles, submarine-based missiles and manned bombers. The B-1B Lancer, intended to supplant the B-52, replaced only the older models and the supersonic FB-111.

In 1991, B-52s ceased continuous 24-hour SAC alert duty. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the B-52Gs were destroyed per the terms of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START). The AMARC (at Davis-Monthan AFB) was tasked with eliminating 365 B-52 bombers, completion of this task was to be verified by Russia via satellite and first-person inspection at the AMARC facility. To place the aircraft permanently beyond restoration, the B-52s were cut up into pieces with a 13,000 pound guillotine. The dismembered aircraft were then left in place so their destruction could be confirmed by Russian reconnaissance satellites. As of April 2011, 94 of the original 744 B-52 aircraft were still operational within the U.S. Air Force (85 Air Force and 9 Air Force Reserve). Four of 18 B-52Hs from Barksdale AFB that are currently being retired are in the "boneyard" of 309th AMARG at Davis-Monthan AFB as of 8 September 2008.

The above image depicts the three strategic bomber (nuclear) bases, Minot, Whiteman and Barksdale, as well as the submarine bases at Bangor and Kings Bay, and the Minuteman-III missile fields, along with the 50 largest cities in the country.
I would anticipate that associated with the alleged "Cocked Pistol" exercise to see a change in security posture at other military installations and government facilities in the coming week if there really is to be a full-scale exercise and not a table-top exercise.

Camp Bullis

2011-09-07T16:28:00.000-07:00

Tropics

2011-09-07T16:22:00.001-07:00

Austin TX Fires

2011-09-07T16:12:00.000-07:00

Tropical Storm "Nate"

2011-09-07T15:50:00.001-07:00

Tropical Storm Lee tracks

2011-09-03T05:07:00.000-07:00

TS Katia

2011-08-30T05:50:00.000-07:00

2011-08-27T15:46:00.001-07:00

HURRICANE IRENE DISASTER RESPONSE AND RECOVERY

2011-08-27T14:02:00.000-07:00

FEMA FLOOD MAPS

2011-08-27T09:45:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Irene's Path

2011-08-27T08:33:00.000-07:00

Irene's Cloud Shield

2011-08-26T18:49:00.000-07:00

Latest Irene

2011-08-26T18:08:00.000-07:00

Irene @ 10:42am CDT

2011-08-26T09:03:00.000-07:00

Irene and Nuclear Plants

2011-08-26T04:50:00.000-07:00

Pacific Missile Launches

2011-08-25T17:02:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Irene

2011-08-25T06:32:00.000-07:00

2011-06-23T15:03:00.000-07:00

Nebraska TFRs

2011-06-23T14:35:00.000-07:00

TFR 1/6523

NOTAM Number : FDC 1/6523

Issue Date : June 06, 2011 at 2231 UTC

Location : FORT CALHOUN NUCLEAR POWER PLANT BLAIRNE, Nebraska near OMAHA VORTAC (OVR)

Beginning Date and Time : Effective Immediately

Ending Date and Time : Until further notice

Reason for NOTAM : Temporary flight restrictions

Type : Hazards

Replaced NOTAM(s) : N/A

Pilots May Contact : MINNEAPOLIS (ZMP) Center, 651-463-5580

Affected Area(s)

Airspace Definition:

Center: On the OMAHA VORTAC (OVR) 316 degree radial at 26.1 nautical miles. (Latitude: 41º31'13"N, Longitude: 96º04'38"W)

Radius: 2 nautical miles

Altitude: From the surface up to and including 3500 feet MSL

Effective Date(s):

From June 06, 2011 at 2231 UTC

Until further notice

Operating Restrictions and Requirements

No pilots may operate an aircraft in the areas covered by this NOTAM (except as described).

Other Information:

ARTCC: ZMP - Minneapolis Center

Point of Contact: FRANK PECK

Telephone 402-450-1867

Authority: Title 14 CFR section 91.137(a)(3)

TFR 1/6704

NOTAM Number : FDC 1/6704

Issue Date : June 07, 2011 at 1516 UTC

Location : BROWNVILLE., Nebraska near PAWNEE CITY VORTAC (PWE)

Beginning Date and Time : Effective Immediately

Ending Date and Time : Until further notice

Reason for NOTAM : Temporary flight restrictions

Type : Hazards

Replaced NOTAM(s) : N/A

Pilots May Contact : MINNEAPOLIS ARTCC (ZMP) Center, 651-463-5580

Affected Area(s)

Airspace Definition:

Center: On the PAWNEE CITY VORTAC (PWE) 064 degree radial at 27.6 nautical miles. (Latitude: 40º21'42"N, Longitude: 95º38'35"W)

Radius: 2 nautical miles

Altitude: From the surface up to and including 3500 feet MSL

Effective Date(s):

From June 07, 2011 at 1516 UTC

Until further notice

Operating Restrictions and Requirements

No pilots may operate an aircraft in the areas covered by this NOTAM (except as described).

Other Information:

ARTCC: ZMP - Minneapolis Center

Point of Contact: FRANK PECK

Telephone 402-450-1867

Authority: Title 14 CFR section 91.137(a)(3)

TFR's today in US

2011-06-22T15:24:00.000-07:00

Arizona burning X3

2011-06-06T06:09:00.001-07:00

Storm 94-06z tracks

2011-06-06T06:00:00.001-07:00

2011-06-05T16:52:00.001-07:00

Storm 94, Sunday 6/5 at 7:00am CDT

2011-06-05T05:11:00.000-07:00

A LARGE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM LOCATED ABOUT 150 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
JAMAICA IS MOVING WESTWARD AT ABOUT 5 MPH. THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY
HAS INCREASED AND BECOME A LITTLE BETTER ORGANIZED...MAINLY TO THE
EAST OF THE SURFACE CENTER. SOME GRADUAL DEVELOPMENT OF THIS SYSTEM
IS POSSIBLE OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS AS WINDS IN THE MIDDLE LEVELS OF
THE ATMOSPHERE BECOME MORE FAVORABLE. THERE IS A MEDIUM CHANCE...
30 PERCENT...OF THIS DISTURBANCE BECOMING A TROPICAL CYCLONE DURING
THE NEXT 48 HOURS. REGARDLESS OF DEVELOPMENT...HEAVY RAINS COULD
CAUSE FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES OVER PORTIONS OF HAITI AND
JAMAICA AS THE LOW MOVES SLOWLY TOWARD THE NORTHWEST OR NORTH OVER
THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.

ELSEWHERE...TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION IS NOT EXPECTED DURING THE
NEXT 48 HOURS.

Storm 94 Update

2011-06-04T17:48:00.001-07:00

Storm 94

2011-06-04T09:55:00.001-07:00

New Storm #94 Forecast Spaghetti

2011-06-04T09:41:00.001-07:00

June 2 2011 - sun shadow at 7:40am

2011-06-02T05:40:00.000-07:00

June 1st: Welcome to Hurricane Season 2011

2011-06-01T15:06:00.000-07:00

2011-05-31T18:58:00.000-07:00

2011-05-31T18:43:00.001-07:00

2011-05-31T18:35:00.000-07:00

PHONY GREAT FALLS SQUARE

2011-05-30T09:27:00.000-07:00

today's weather map

2011-05-30T09:16:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles Area Radars

2011-05-29T13:25:00.001-07:00

Los Angeles ARTCC Area All Radars

Los Angeles ARTCC Area National Weather Service Radars
Los Angeles ARTCC Area Terminal Radars

Los Angeles ARTCC Long Range Radars

Typhoon Songda

2011-05-28T10:01:00.001-07:00

Weather and Drought

2011-05-28T06:27:00.001-07:00

Having just finished watching this mornings US Farm Report on the My-Network's local affiliate out of Dothan this morning I'd thought I'd share a few numbers with you all.
* There are approximately 3.5 million acres underwater along the Ohio, Tennessee, Mississippi, Missouri and Arkansas Rivers. Arkansas is at the top of the list of devastation with a million acres affected. This includes 300,000 acres of rice and 120,000 acres of wheat. Tennessee has reported 650,000 acres impacted by the flood, with Mississippi and Missouri falling next in line at 600,000 and 570,000 acres respectively. Illinois is estimated to have half-a million acres under water, while Louisiana is pegged at 280,000 acres.
For comparison, about 3.5 million acres, Michigan has the second largest amount of state-owned "timberland" in the USA. "Timberland" is different than "forest" in that harvesting is allowed and minimum growth rates are defined. In terms of all ownerships, Michigan has the fifth largest area of timberland in the USA. Fifty-three percent of Michigan, or 19.3 million acres, is forested.
http://www.agweb.com/article/Corn_Planting_Progress_052311/ Corn Planting Process as of May 22, 2011, compared to May 22, 2010

http://www.agweb.com/article/spring_wheat_crop_condition/052311/ %20Spring">http://www.agweb.com/article/spring_wheat_crop_condition/052311/ Spring Wheat Planting Process

Southeast US Weather Radar 201105250900cdt

2011-05-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

Gulfport & Pensacola OpAreas

2011-05-20T06:06:00.000-07:00

Ship Collision

2011-05-19T12:28:00.001-07:00

Fishing boat and container ship collide in waters near Ship Island.

GULFPORT, Mississippi - U.S. Coast Guard crews are searching the waters around Ship Island after a collision between two ships.

Coast Guard officials say just before 9pm Wednesday night, the Sandy Point, a fishing boat and the Eurus London, a container ship, collided south of Gulfport. The incident happened between Cat Island and Ship Island. The Sandy Point sank. 16 people were aboard at the time.

The Coast Guard pulled 11 people from the water. Two Sandy Point crewmembers were able to swim to the other ship.

Coast Guard rescue helicopters, a cutter, a plane and other boats are searching for the three people who were also aboard the Sandy Point. The cause of the incident is under investigation.

Eglin East Range Complex

2011-05-19T12:14:00.000-07:00

Clsoe View Panama City Ops

2011-05-19T12:03:00.000-07:00

What's the Navy doing?

2011-05-19T07:19:00.000-07:00

FL - Gulf of Mexico - Submerged Vehicle Testing
Continuing until approximately April 4, 2012, the Navy will be conducting surface and submerged vehicle testing in the Gulf of Mexico. Buoys will
be placed in the approximate position:
Buoy 1: 30-06-33N 085-43-12W,
Buoy 2: 30-06-07N 085-42-33W,
Buoy 3: 30-05-31N 085-43-02W,
Buoy 4: 30-04-48N 085-43-37W,
Buoy 5: 30-05-14N 085-44-17W and
Buoy 6: 30-05-59N 085-43-40W.
The buoys will have flashing yellow lights, .5 seconds on and 1.5 seconds off. The U.S. Navy PSC-5, U.S. Navy PSC-8, M/V LILLY BORDELON, M/V
STEEL SLINGER and M/V FINTASTIC will be operating in this area during daylight hours only, during the testing period. Mariners are urged to stay
clear of the testing area. The support vessel will be monitoring VHF-FM Channel 16. For up-to-date information, mariners can contact Mr. Rick
Strynar at (850) 249-1536, ext. 246 or strynarr@ipsincorparated.com or Coast Guard Sector Mobile Waterways Branch at (251) 441-5684.

FL - GULF OF MEXICO - Navy Training
Continuing until May 28, 2011, the U.S. Military will be conducting join Navy and Air Force training in an area located approximately 5 nautical miles
offshore of Bay County, Florida, east of the Panama City Pass between the Panama City Pass and Cape San Blas, Florida. The training will include
Air Force and Navy assets and several U.S. Navy surface support vessels. Mariners are urged to remain clear by at least 4 nautical miles from the
center point of approximate position 29-58-00N 085-40-00W, and to heed all warnings from Navy and contracted surface support vessels supporting this joint training. The U.S. Navy support vessels will be monitoring VHF-FM Channel 16.

FL - GULF OF MEXICO - PANAMA CITY - Navy Operations
Continuing until approximately December 31, 2011, the U.S. Navy will be conducting surface and subsurface operations in the Gulf of Mexico off of
Panama City, Florida. Operations will be conducted in the approximate positions:
30-23-00N 086-47-00W,
30-11-00N 085-50-00W,
29-30-00N 085-50-00W and
29-30-00N 086-47-00W.
The U.S. Navy PSC-3, U.S. Navy PSC-12 and M/V LILLY BORDELON will be supporting this operation. Mariners are urged that all traffic maintain a
2,000 yard CPA with all U.S. Navy units and U.S. Navy contracted commercial vessels. The support vessels will be monitoring VHF-FM Channel 16.
For up-to-date information, mariners can contact Mr. Rick Strynar at (850) 249-1536, ext. 246 or strynarr@ipsincorparated.com or Coast Guard
Sector Mobile Waterways Branch at (251) 441-5684.

Dangers of the Southwest USA

2011-05-06T06:19:00.000-07:00

Weather Radar

2011-05-01T08:37:00.000-07:00

What is the WSR-88D or NEXRAD?

NEXRAD or Nexrad (Next-Generation Radar) is a network of 159 high-resolution Doppler weather radars operated by the National Weather Service, an agency of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) within the United States Department of Commerce. Its technical name is WSR-88D, which stands for Weather Surveillance Radar, 1988, Doppler. NEXRAD detects precipitation and atmospheric movement or wind. It returns data which when processed can be displayed in a mosaic map which shows patterns of precipitation and its movement. The radar system operates in two basic modes, selectable by the operator – a slow-scanning clear-air mode for analyzing air movements when there is little or no activity in the area, and a precipitation mode, with a faster scan for tracking active weather. NEXRAD has an increased emphasis on automation, including the use of algorithms and automated volume scans.

Dual polarization

The next major upgrade is polarimetric radar, which adds vertical polarization to the current horizontal radar waves, in order to more accurately discern what is reflecting the signal. This so-called dual polarization allows the radar to distinguish between rain, hail and snow, something the horizontally polarized radars cannot accurately do. Early trials have shown that rain, ice pellets, snow, hail, birds, insects, and ground clutter all have different signatures with dual-polarization, which could mark a significant improvement in forecasting winter storms and severe thunderstorms.[8] The deployment of the dual polarization capability (Build 12) to NEXRAD sites will begin in 2010 and last until 2012. The Vance AFB radar is the first operational WSR-88D to be modified to Dual Polarization. The modified radar went operational on 3 March 2011.[9]

Usage

NEXRAD data are used in multiple ways. It is used by National Weather Service meteorologists and is freely available to users outside of the NWS, including researchers, media, and private citizens. The primary goal of NEXRAD data is to aid NWS meteorologists in operational forecasting. The data allows them to accurately track precipitation and anticipate its development and track. More importantly, it allows the meteorologists to track and anticipate severe weather and tornadoes. Combined with ground reports, tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings can be issued to alert the public about dangerous storms. NEXRAD data also provides information about rainfall and aids in hydrology forecasting. Data is provided to the public in several different forms. The most basic form is graphics published to the NWS website. Data is also available in two similar, but different, raw formats. Available directly from the NWS is Level III data. Level III data consists of reduced resolution, low-bandwidth, base products as well as many derived, post-processed products. Level II data consists of only the base products, but at their original resolution. Because of the higher bandwidth costs, Level II data is not available directly from the NWS. The NWS distributes this data freely to several top-tier universities who in turn distribute the data to private organizations.

Weather Radar displays.

The above image is the Weather Radar image supplied by Google Earth when you enable the display of Weather Radar in the "Layers" section of the sidebar. Note this image is displaying areas of precipitation only, greens and yellows indicating various levels of rain, and out west there is some pink and grey indicating forms of frozen precipitation.

The above image is the same area, but instead of using the Google Earth supplied weather radar information, this is live weather radar data through a network link downloaded from the National Weather Service as a Google Earth Overlay. I have it set to refresh the image every two minutes. Note the difference in the image displays. The raw radar data includes all radar return information including those with the "negative dB", which creates the "ring around" the individual radar sites. Each of the NOAA/NWS radar sites are depicted using a Green radar antenna placemark. RING AROUND: A condition in which a repeater jammer's total gain, from receiver antenna to transmitter antenna, exceeds the antenna isolation resulting in the repeater amplifying it's own internal noise. Akin to positive feedback in an amplifier that causes unwanted oscillations.

RING AROUND (RADAR-TO-RADAR): The condition where radio frequency interference signals from a transmitter of one radar enter the receiving circuits of another radar.

Radar returns are usually described by colour or level. The colours in a radar image normally range from blue or green for weak returns, to red or magenta for very strong returns. The numbers in a verbal report increase with the severity of the returns. For example, the U.S. National Doppler Radar sites use the following scale for different levels of reflectivity:^[14]

magenta: 65 dBZ (extremely heavy precipitation, possible hail)

red: 52 dBZ

yellow: 36 dBZ

green: 20 dBZ (light precipitation)

Doppler interpretation

Radial component of real winds when scanning on 360 degrees.

If one thinks of an autumn rain uniformly filling the radar area coverage and moving from west to east, one notes that a radar beam pointing west will "see" the raindrops moving toward itself, while a beam pointing east will "see" the drops moving away. On the other hand, looking north or south, since there is no motion toward the radar in those directions, the radial velocity is null.^[8]

As the beam is scanning 360 degrees around the radar, data will come from all those angles and be the radial projection of the actual wind on the individual angle. The intensity pattern formed by this scan can be represented by a cosine curve, as seen on the right. One can then calculate the direction and the strength of the motion of particles as long as there is enough coverage on the radar screen.

However, the rain drops are falling. As the radar only sees the radial component and has a certain elevation from ground, the radial velocities are contaminated by some fraction of the falling speed. This component is negligible in small elevation angles, but must be taken into account for higher scanning angles.

Now lets look closely at the KJAX (Jacksonville, Florida WSR-88D) area.

This image is from Google Earth, using Google Earth's Weather Radar Layer in the sidebar. Note, no precipitation returns anywhere. Depicted is the KJAX WSR-88D just north of the I-95 Bypass around Jacksonville. The actual radar antenna is located in the southeast corner of the Florida Air National Guard property on the Jacksonville International Airport. Southwest of the I-95 loop is the former NAS Cecil Field, and further south-southwest is the Florida National Guard facility at Camp Blanding.

Due east of Jacksonville on the coastline is Naval Station Mayport. Presently NS Mayport is home port to 12 US Navy Frigates, 4 US Navy Cruisers, and 4 US Navy Destroyers. It was the former homeport of the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy.

Near the tip of the point for the entrance into NS Mayport the Navy operates an AN/ULM-4 Shipboard Electronics Systems Evaluation Range. The orange pie shaped wedge off of the coast between 100 and 130 degrees true from five to fifteen nautical miles is the location of this range area.

To the northeast of NS Mayport are two yellow wedges, these are used as Shipboard Laser Training Ranges. One used April through November, the other used December through March, depending upon the Northern Right Whale breeding season. Also in this area are the three blue outlined and shaded boxes which are used for Shipboard Gunnery Practice.

The three orange outlined almost "V-shape" areas are submarine transit corridors: San Simmon, St. Marys, and Mayport; and the longer red-outlined is also a submarine transit corridor. All essentially are associated with the US Navy's Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarine Base at Kings Bay, Georgia.

Now note the raw radar data from the National Weather Service Radar Overlay. Negative dB (decibel) returns surround the antenna, as well as four areas of what I'll call strobing, one through the Laser Training Range, one through the Shipboard Electronics System Evaluation Range, and two through the vicinity of Camp Blanding National Guard Training Site.

This is an example of a radar control panel. It allows the user to select the various levels of return that they would like to see on their display. The raw radar information seen in the second and fourth pictures above are just that raw radar data, that has not been filtered through a control panel.

National weather image

2011-04-29T10:30:00.000-07:00

Popular Bluff evacuation

2011-04-25T16:20:00.000-07:00

Fort Benning, Georgia

2011-04-25T16:04:00.000-07:00

Nevada Nuclear Sites and Fault Lines

2011-04-20T06:31:00.000-07:00

Texas Burning

2011-04-20T05:54:00.000-07:00

Rock House Wildfire Information

Last updated: Tue, 19 Apr 2011 09:01:20

Incident is 75% contained.

The Rock House Fire started on Sunday, April 9, 2011 and quickly spread north from near Marfa, TX to Ft. Davis, TX. Approximately 40 homes were destroyed as a result of the blaze, as well as miles of ranch fencing and grazing pasture. Extreme drought conditions and critical fire weather have combined to pose challenges to firefighters working to contain the large fire.

Lands within the Ft. Davis National Historic site were burned as the fire moved northward. Structures were not destroyed at the site.

Cannon Group Wildfire Information

Last updated: Tue, 19 Apr 2011 09:03:02

Incident is 80% contained.

Four fires, the Cannon, the DRH, the Little Smokey, and Yates Field are in close proximity to each other in Pecos County south of Iraan west of Sheffield. Texas Firefighters have tied in lines between the fires and are managing all four as one group. All of these fires are currently in the patrol and mop up phase.

Sutton Wildfire Information

Last updated: Tue, 19 Apr 2011 09:06:48

Incident is 50% contained.

Wildcat Wildfire Information

Last updated: Tue, 19 Apr 2011 08:57:23

Incident is 10% contained.

The Wildcat Fire started on Monday, April 11th near Robert Lee, Tx in Coke County. The fire made a large run on April 14th toward the more urban area of San Angelo, Tx. Residences and other structures have been threatened.

Frying Pan Ranch Wildfire Information

Last updated: Tue, 19 Apr 2011 09:41:19

Incident is 80% contained.

The Frying Pan Ranch fire is 25 miles west north west of Andrews, Texas, it is near urban interface and infrastructure including oil and gas facilities.

Last updated: Tue, 19 Apr 2011 08:57:49

Incident is 80% contained.

The Cooper Mountain Ranch Fire started on Monday, April 11th in Kent County. On April 14th the fire had spread to Stonewall and Fisher counties and the entire city of Rotan (population 1611) was evacuated with numerous homes, outbuildings and an oil facility threatened. On April 15th the fire shifted south towards Camp Springs, TX and destroyed four homes.

Swenson Wildfire Information

Last updated: Tue, 19 Apr 2011 08:58:42

Incident is 90% contained.

The Swenson Fire started on Wednesday, April 6th near Aspermont, TX in Stonewall County, burning in rough terrain and heavy fuels. On April 7th the fire traveled 12 miles in less than four hours, jumped the Brazos River and burned into King and Knox counties. No structures were reported lost. As of April 8th the Swenson Fire was the largest fire burning in the nation and the largest thus far in Texas. The fire is currently burning near Swenson, TX on April 16th.

Wichita County Complex Wildfire Information

Last updated: Tue, 19 Apr 2011 09:00:28

Incident is 90% contained.

The Wichita County Complex started on Friday, April 15th near Wichita Falls in Wichita County. The complex is made up of three fires - Iowa West, Holiday and Missle. Sheppard Air Force base was threatened as were hundreds of homes and apartment complexes.

Bryson Complex Wildfire Information

Last updated: Sun, 17 Apr 2011 15:30:57

Incident is 40% contained.

The Bryson Complex Fire started Saturday, April 16th near Bryson, TX in Jack County. More than 150 homes were threatened and saved in the town of Bryson. The complex is made up of the Rockcreek Fire and the Shanafelt Fire.

Smith Fire Wildfire Information

Last updated: Tue, 19 Apr 2011 08:59:42

Incident is 85% contained.

The Smith Fire started on Friday, April 16th in Young County. The fire is burning six miles northeast of Graham.

Pk East Wildfire Information

Last updated: Tue, 19 Apr 2011 09:04:45

Incident is 0% contained.

The PK East Fire started on Sunday, April 17th near Strawn, TX in Palo Pinto County. The entire city of Strawn (pop. 764) and portions of Palo Pinto County, described as areas west of Highway 16 and south of Possum Kingdom Lake, were evacuated.

Pk West Wildfire Information

Last updated: Tue, 19 Apr 2011 08:47:16

Incident is 0% contained.

The PK West Fire started on Thursday, April 14th west of Possum Kingdom Lake in Stephens County. 200 homes were evacuated and 31 were destroyed. The fire made major runs on April 16th. Unknown containment as of April 17th.

Hubbards Creek Wildfire Information

Last updated: Sun, 17 Apr 2011 16:30:25

Incident is 90% contained.

The Hubbard Creek Fire started Thursday, April 15th in Stephens County.

Hohertz Wildfire Information

Last updated: Sun, 17 Apr 2011 14:07:50

Incident is 0% contained.

The Hohertz Fire started on Saturday, April 9th in Stephens County. Burning fast through thick fuels and rough terrain the fire quickly spread Palo Pinto County. As of April 15th the fire was 15,000 acres with unknown containment and moving toward Strawn, TX. 1,200 homes have been threatened, none reported lost.

East Sidwynicks Wildfire Information

Last updated: Sun, 17 Apr 2011 16:05:15

Incident is 95% contained.

The East Sidwynicks Fire started on Friday, April 15th near Carbon City, TX in Eastland County. 1,200 homes were threatened and evacuations occured.

Pinnacle Wildfire Information

Last updated: Tue, 19 Apr 2011 09:03:11

Incident is 90% contained.

The Pinnacle Fire started on Sunday, April 17th outside of Austin, TX in Travis County. One hundred homes, ten businesses and Austin Community College - Pinnacle Campus threatened and evacuations in progress. Five homes were destroyed.

Alabama's Powerplants

2011-04-16T12:24:00.001-07:00

Long Valley-Yellowstone line

2011-04-16T08:25:00.000-07:00

Hawthorne, NV Earthquakes

2011-04-16T08:17:00.001-07:00

We Will Adapt

2011-04-16T07:20:00.000-07:00

Hey TC ... while it is true that there are many running around like the proverbial ostrich with the head burried in the sand, there are probably equally as well a number who are paying attention. The tone of your post is almost "to me" sounds like this is an extinction level event. Just like there were some here during the Deepwater Horizon Disaster were promoting it as an extinction level event. Mind you, I AM NOT saying that all this shit, every nuclear detonation since Trinity, New Mexico, every oil spill since we've been drilling for oil, or every hazardous materials spill since man moved from horse and buggy to the internal combustion engine, doesn't have a cumulative effect! They all do! A few days ago I posted a series of videos on LIAHO board beginning with Garth Brooks' We Shall Be Free and I even went back into some of the late sixties and seventies protest songs as we called them back then. The fact of the matter is this, the human race is adaptable, whether you're a bible-toting/thumbing individual who believes that we've only been around this rock for about six to seven thousand years, or you're a Darwinian-fan who thinks/believes that Chimps are a distant cousin (which I do like Floyd Westerman's comment "He might be your cousin but he's not mine!"), WE ADAPT. World War I was the "Great War" supposedly the war to end all wars. Then came World War II, and with the Japanese Surrender on the deck of the USS Missouri in Tokyo Harbor, were General MacArthur's words ... "A new era is upon us. Even the lesson of victory itself brings with it profound concern, both for our future security and the survival of civilization. The destructiveness of the war potential, through progressive advances in scientific discovery, has in fact now reached a point which revises the traditional concepts of war. Men since the beginning of time have sought peace.... Military alliances, balances of power, leagues of nations, all in turn failed, leaving the only path to be by way of the crucible of war. We have had our last chance. If we do not now devise some greater and more equitable system, Armageddon will be at our door. The problem basically is theological and involves a spiritual recrudescence and improvement of human character that will synchronize with our almost matchless advances in science, art, literature and all material and cultural development of the past two thousand years. It must be of the spirit if we are to save the flesh." MacArthur's Speechs Here's the thing ... mankind will continue to adapt, who knows maybe even like the different Star Trek series of episodes where the find humanoid-life on M-Class planets experiencing high-levels of deadly radiation. The human race will continue to adapt and change as long as "money" is what is used to trade for services rendered or supplies. Once the money supply is terminated only those with barterable items will survive. We, humans have thrown a lot of shit into the air, the oceans and into the land, most of it will eventually kill us. But we must remember that Mother Earth is also a living entity. All these "natural" disasters are "Mother's" way of getting our attention, like hitting us between the eyes with a "two-by-four"! The "Old-ones", the "Elders", all know what lies ahead, for they have listened to Mother. They have had their teachings become prophecies of what is to come if we do not change our present course. So whether you are spiritual or scientific the end results are the same. That's my bushel of corn for today :) Bill Silver Eagle

Atlanta getting hammered

2011-04-15T16:49:00.001-07:00

Fukushima images 18 March 2011

2011-04-14T05:56:00.001-07:00

JFK: Air France/Delta Connection - Ground Accident

2011-04-12T06:54:00.000-07:00

Years ago, when I was still an air traffic controller, and the Boeing 777 first came on the scene, there were a number of airports that were evaluated because of the wing-tip clearances being presented by what was then called the Next-Generation-Large Transport aircraft. If I recall my "airport-design" standards requirements the taxiway wingtip clearance area was to be ten (10) percent of half the wingspan plus 20 feet for the NGL aircraft. Therefore with a wingspan of reported 260 feet, the wingtip clearance area should be 33 feet, thus the taxiway object free area then was supposed to be 326 feet. Which from the diagram you can then see the potential problem.

Lockheed_Orlando

2011-04-12T05:53:00.000-07:00

2011-04-11T17:11:00.000-07:00

five minutes

2011-04-11T06:34:00.000-07:00

50 meter rise locally

2011-04-09T05:03:00.000-07:00

50 meter sea rise = 1968 inches

2011-04-09T04:59:00.001-07:00

Japan

2011-04-07T08:57:00.000-07:00

New 7.4 Japan Quakes

2011-04-07T08:13:00.000-07:00

Sakura-jima, Japan

2011-04-05T05:43:00.000-07:00

Sakura-jima, one of Japan's most active volcanoes, is a post-caldera cone of the Aira caldera at the northern half of Kagoshima Bay. Eruption of the voluminous Ito pyroclastic flow accompanied formation of the 17 x 23 km wide Aira caldera about 22,000 years ago. The smaller Wakamiko caldera was formed during the early Holocene in the NE corner of the Aira caldera, along with several post-caldera cones. The construction of Sakura-jima began about 13,000 years ago on the southern rim of Aira caldera and built an island that was finally joined to the Osumi Peninsula during the major explosive and effusive eruption of 1914. Activity at the Kita-dake summit cone ended about 4850 years ago, after which eruptions took place at Minami-dake. Frequent historical eruptions, recorded since the 8th century, have deposited ash on Kagoshima, one of Kyushu's largest cities, located across Kagoshima Bay only 8 km from the summit. The largest historical eruption took place during 1471-76.

Sumiyoshi-ike and Yonemaru are two basaltic maars formed in coastal lowland deposits north of the Aira caldera. The eruptions occurred during a period of rising sea level at the beginning of the Holocene. The 500-m-wide Sumiyoshi-ike maar was created about 7000 years ago. The larger, 1.2-km-wide Yonemaru maar erupted about 2 km west of Sumiyoshi-ike about 6500 years ago and produced pyroclastic surges that traveled 4 km from the vent.

Fukushima I and II

2011-04-03T07:27:00.000-07:00

Among the radioactive materials found at nuclear power plants you will find enriched uranium, low-level waste, and spent nuclear fuel.
Enriched uranium, in the form of a pellet roughly one-inch-long, serves as the fuel for nuclear power plants; there may be over 100 tons of fuel pellets present in a single reactor. One pellet can generate approximately the same amount of electricity as one ton of coal. Uranium fuel is only mildly radioactive and can be handled safely without shielding, unlike spent fuel, which is extremely radioactive.

Low-level radioactive waste includes items that have become contaminated with radioactive material. This waste typically consists of contaminated protective shoe covers and clothing, wiping rags, mops, filters, reactor water treatment residues, and equipment and tools. Low-level waste is stored at the nuclear power plant until either the radioactivity in the waste decays away, allowing it to be disposed of as ordinary trash, or there is enough waste for shipment to a low-level waste disposal site.

Spent nuclear fuel includes many highly radioactive byproducts of the fission process. The fuel is stored at the nuclear power plant site in specially designed pools resembling large swimming pools or in specially designed dry storage containers. In the pools the water cools the fuel and acts as a radiation shield. The storage containers can also cool the fuel and contain the radiation emitted by the used fuel.

Local and state governments, federal agencies, and the electric utilities have emergency response plans in the event of a nuclear power plant incident. The plans define two “emergency planning zones.” One zone covers an area within a 10-mile radius of the plant, where it is possible that people could be harmed by direct radiation exposure. The second zone covers a broader area, usually up to a 50-mile radius from the plant, where radioactive materials could contaminate water supplies, food crops, and livestock.
The potential danger from an accident at a nuclear power plant is exposure to radiation. This exposure could come from the release of radioactive material from the plant into the environment, usually characterized by a plume (cloud-like formation) of radioactive gases and particles. The major hazards to people in the vicinity of the plume are radiation exposure to the body from the cloud and particles deposited on the ground, inhalation of radioactive materials, and ingestion of radioactive materials.

High-level radioactive wastes are the highly radioactive materials produced as a byproduct of the reactions that occur inside nuclear reactors. High-level wastes take one of two forms:

• Spent (used) reactor fuel when it is accepted for disposal

• Waste materials remaining after spent fuel is reprocessed

Spent nuclear fuel is used fuel from a reactor that is no longer efficient in creating electricity, because its fission process has slowed. However, it is still thermally hot, highly radioactive, and potentially harmful. Until a permanent disposal repository for spent nuclear fuel is built, licensees must safely store this fuel at their reactors.

Spent Fuel Pools
The water-pool option involves storing spent fuel rods under at least 20 feet of water, which provides adequate shielding from the radiation for anyone near the pool. The rods are moved into the water pools from the reactor along the bottom of water canals, so that the spent fuel is always shielded to protect workers.
About one-fourth to one-third of the total fuel load from the pools is spent and removed from the reactor every 12 to 18 months and replaced with fresh fuel.

Life cycle
The nuclear fuel cycle begins when uranium is mined, enriched, and manufactured into nuclear fuel, (1) which is delivered to a nuclear power plant. After usage in the power plant, the spent fuel is delivered to a reprocessing plant (2) or to a final repository (3) for geological disposition. In reprocessing 95% of spent fuel can be recycled to be returned to usage in a power plant (4).Main article: Nuclear fuel cycle

A nuclear reactor is only part of the life-cycle for nuclear power. The process starts with mining (see Uranium mining). Uranium mines are underground, open-pit, or in-situ leach mines. In any case, the uranium ore is extracted, usually converted into a stable and compact form such as yellowcake, and then transported to a processing facility. Here, the yellowcake is converted to uranium hexafluoride, which is then enriched using various techniques. At this point, the enriched uranium, containing more than the natural 0.7% U-235, is used to make rods of the proper composition and geometry for the particular reactor that the fuel is destined for. The fuel rods will spend about 3 operational cycles (typically 6 years total now) inside the reactor, generally until about 3% of their uranium has been fissioned, then they will be moved to a spent fuel pool where the short lived isotopes generated by fission can decay away. After about 5 years in a spent fuel pool the spent fuel is radioactively and thermally cool enough to handle and it can be moved to dry storage casks or reprocessed.

High-level radioactive waste

After about 5% of a nuclear fuel rod has reacted inside a nuclear reactor that rod is no longer able to be used as fuel (due to the build-up of fission products). Today, scientists are experimenting on how to recycle these rods so as to reduce waste and use the remaining actinides as fuel (large-scale reprocessing is being used in a number of countries).

A typical 1000-MWe nuclear reactor produces approximately 20 cubic meters (about 27 tonnes) of spent nuclear fuel each year (but only 3 cubic meters of vitrified volume if reprocessed).[82][83] All the spent fuel produced to date by all commercial nuclear power plants in the US would cover a football field to the depth of about one meter.[84]

Spent nuclear fuel is initially very highly radioactive and so must be handled with great care and forethought. However, it will decrease with time. After 40 years, the radiation flux is 99.9% lower than it was the moment the spent fuel was removed from operation. Still, this 0,1% is dangerously radioactive.[76] After 10,000 years of radioactive decay, according to United States Environmental Protection Agency standards, the spent nuclear fuel will no longer pose a threat to public health and safety.[citation needed]

When first extracted, spent fuel rods are stored in shielded basins of water (spent fuel pools), usually located on-site. The water provides both cooling for the still-decaying fission products, and shielding from the continuing radioactivity. After a period of time (generally five years for US plants), the now cooler, less radioactive fuel is typically moved to a dry-storage facility or dry cask storage, where the fuel is stored in steel and concrete containers. Most U.S. waste is currently stored at the nuclear site where it is generated, while suitable permanent disposal methods are discussed.

Fukushima Dai-ichi (dai-ichi means "number one"), is a disabled nuclear power plant located on a 3,500,000-square-metre (860-acre) site[1] in the towns of Okuma and Futaba in the Futaba District of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. First commissioned in 1971, the plant consists of six boiling water reactors (BWR). These light water reactors[2] drove electrical generators with a combined power of 4.7 GWe, making Fukushima I one of the 15 largest nuclear power stations in the world.

Reactor data
Unit Type[17]
First criticality[18]
Electric power (MW)
Since Criticality (years) Annual Waste (tonnes) Waste Since Criticality
Fukushima I – 1 BWR-3
10-Oct-70 460 3/11/2011 40.44 12.42 502.31
Fukushima I – 2 BWR-4 10-May-73 784 3/11/2011 37.86 21.17 801.43
Fukushima I – 3 BWR-4 6-Sep-74 784 3/11/2011 36.53 21.17 773.36
Fukushima I – 4 BWR-4 28-Jan-78 784 3/11/2011 33.14 21.17 701.44
Fukushima I – 5 BWR-4 26-Aug-77 784 3/11/2011 33.56 21.17 710.43
Fukushima I – 6 BWR-5 9-Mar-79 1,100 3/11/2011 32.03 29.70 951.21
Complex total 4696 MW 4440.19

Fukushima Dai-ni (dai-ni means "number two"), is a nuclear power plant located on a 1,500,000-square-metre (370-acre) site[1] in the town of Naraha and Tomioka in the Futaba District of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) runs the plant. All reactors in the Fukushima II Nuclear Power Plant are BWR-5 type[3] with electric power of 1,100 MW each (net output: 1,067 MW each).
Unit Type[17]
First criticality[18]
Electric power (MW)
Since Criticality (years) Annual Waste (tonnes) Waste Since Criticality
Fukushima II – 1 BWR-5 31-Jul-81 1,100 3/11/2011 29.63 29.70 880.02
Fukushima II – 2 BWR-5 23-Jun-83 1,100 3/11/2011 27.73 29.70 823.71
Fukushima II – 3 BWR-5 14-Dec-84 1,100 3/11/2011 26.25 29.70 779.77
Fukushima II – 4 BWR-5 17-Dec-86 1,100 3/11/2011 24.25 29.70 720.12
3203.61

Fukushima 1’s estimated nuclear waste equates to 4.4 kilotons of material and Fukushima 2 equates to 3.2 kilotons.
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Hiroshima became the target of the first weapon at 08.15 on 6 August 1945. The all-clear had in fact sounded from an initial alert when the bomb was dropped. It was carried by a B-29 Superfortress called Enola Gay, and exploded about 602 yards (550 meters) over the city producing the equivalent of 15 kilotons of energy. Eyewitnesses reported seeing a parachute falling followed by a blast of intense heat. Between 130, 000 and 200, 000 people died, were injured, or disappeared. The Japanese government attempted to play down the impact and significance of this ominous development, which was followed a few days later by a second atomic bombing. This weapon had been destined for Kokura on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu, but cloud cover forced the crew to attack their secondary target of the shipyards of Nagasaki. The Nagasaki bomb was of about 20 kilotons but did less damage because of the local topography. It exploded above Urakami to the north of the port.
Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/bombings-of-hiroshima-and-nagasaki#ixzz1IT948I3P
Yield (megatons) .0044 (4.4 kilotons)

Calculated Values
Thermal radiation radius (3rd degree burns) 1.3 kilometres

Air blast radius (widespread destruction) 1.2 kilometres

Air blast radius (near-total fatalities) 457 metres

Ionizing radiation radius (500 rem) 1.1 kilometres

Fireball duration

Fireball radius (minimum) 50 metres

Fireball radius (airburst) 60 metres

Fireball radius (ground-contact airburst) 80 metres

New Mexico Aerial Refueling

2011-04-01T14:19:00.000-07:00

Pinecastle Laser Range

2011-03-21T06:45:00.001-07:00

ROV Video

2011-03-20T06:19:00.000-07:00

Plate boundaries

2011-03-20T06:11:00.000-07:00

6.1 continued

2011-03-20T06:02:00.001-07:00

: M 6.1, near the east coast of Honshu, Japan

2011-03-20T05:49:00.000-07:00

3/18/2011

2011-03-18T15:24:00.000-07:00

X-37B launch March 4

2011-03-03T12:25:00.000-08:00

Shuttle Launch

2011-02-18T10:54:00.000-08:00

SITREP: Middle East

2011-02-16T07:37:00.000-08:00

Reports that the Iranian Navy has ported temporarily in Jeddah, S.A.

Revival of the Ottoman Empire?

2011-02-14T12:08:00.001-08:00

At the height of its power, in the 16th and 17th centuries, the empire spanned three continents,[7] controlling much of Southeastern Europe, Western Asia and North Africa.[8] The Ottoman Empire contained 29 provinces and numerous vassal states, some of which were later absorbed into the empire, while others were granted various types of autonomy during the course of centuries. The empire also temporarily gained authority over distant overseas lands through declarations of allegiance to the Ottoman Sultan and Caliph, such as the declaration by the Sultan of Aceh in 1565; or through the temporary acquisitions of islands in the Atlantic Ocean, such as Lanzarote in 1585.[9]
With Constantinople (now called Istanbul) as its capital city,[10][11] and vast control of lands around the eastern Mediterranean during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent (ruled 1520 to 1566), the empire was at the center of interactions between the Eastern and Western worlds for six centuries.

Image of Raven Rock, Site-R

2011-02-14T11:02:00.001-08:00

Southern California Airspace Today

2011-02-14T10:39:00.000-08:00